Like an Un-Tuned Key
by Gothicthundra
Summary: X23 is not sure who she is or who she wants to be. She thought coming to the mansion would make her feel… something, but she still isn't sure how to be "normal." Her musings and worries are interrupted by a new member of the Brotherhood, Lorna Dane, who shows her she isn't the only one not fitting in. Humor/General/Friendship.


X23 is not sure who she is or who she wants to be. She thought coming to the mansion would make her feel… something, but she still isn't sure how to be "normal." Her musings and worries are interrupted by a new member of the Brotherhood, Lorna.

* * *

 **Like an Un-tuned Key**

* * *

X23 pressed her fingers on the piano keys, she didn't know how to play yet, but it was one of the many 'normal' things that she was planning to do. She had started making a list of things that she was going to try or do, it was something that Logan had suggested when she'd stayed in her room for longer than he'd liked. She didn't like this feeling of not doing anything, but she didn't know what to do or even who to talk too.

It had been like that since she'd come to the mansion nearly a year ago, things were a little better, but still uneasy. She'd showed up hoping to fall into place, which on her part had been a naive thought. But she'd traveled and felt more in tuned with how things were, however watching and practice were vastly different things. Logan had welcomed her and tried to get her settled in and the older members of the students and staff seemed to try and do the same, but it was with question at times. She felt like ….. she didn't know what. She pressed her fingers down the piano and hit a sour cord, she cringed as the sound seemed to radiate. She could smell the scent of mint and flowers enter the room.

"Mind if I hang out in here a while, X23?" came the female voice of the newest Brotherhood member.

"Sure," shrugged X23, she glanced towards where they flopped in a seat and pulled a book out of their bag.

Lorna Dane was the newest member of the Brotherhood, and like the Brotherhood she'd recently began frequenting the mansion halls. Though, she never saw her with her new teammates or her new siblings. She was often alone if not occasionally with Tabitha or Fred, but only briefly. She'd changed in looks over the last few months as her once brunette and green hair was now mostly a swirl of greens especially at her overtaking roots. She was looking at a worn out Agatha Christie novel as if debating on reading it or starting a conversation. X23 herself thought for a moment in starting a conversation about some of the murder mystery books she'd been reading. Ironically enough it would fit into the conversation of why Lorna had joined the Brotherhood, the very first time X23 had felt like she "fit" with the X-men or at least Jubilee, Kitty, and Lance. That had faded pretty fast, mostly because she hadn't had much more in common than that short moment.

"Have you ever just felt like a fish out of water," sighed Lorna as she put the book down beside her, "I'm sorry, I'm just… do you mind if I vent?"

"Go ahead," said X23 as she closed the piano lid, it beat hitting wrong keys until dinner.

"Okay, so you know I joined the Brotherhood," said Lorna, she sighed, "Well, I was hoping that I would, I don't know… Find my place? I mean I thought I'd be walking into this house where I would just fall into place. I mean, growing up I always felt like I didn't belong. My mother walked on egg shells around me and god forbid I even showed a glimpse of my powers… she would tell me to keep myself in check because people didn't need to see I wasn't normal. So I figured here no one would stare at me when I'd make something float or bend a spoon as a joke, I mean Magneto laughed. But instead everyone walks on egg shells around me like my mother. I mean Lance and Fred are nice enough, but our conversations are often limited. They act like I'm about to go ballistic or something at the drop of a hat. They take me way too seriously."

X23 thought about that, which had been how she'd hope to feel when she first came, like she would fall into place. However she was mostly greeted with friendly distance and a wide birth, sure she didn't have the best history here, but she'd hoped they would have adjusted from that. Instead any attempts at joking she'd make would often seem threatening rather than the sarcasm she'd hoped for, Logan would get it. Jubilee had recently started to get it, but she was always off pulling pranks and shopping, which wasn't something X23 was sure she liked and probably would seem malicious if she joined in the prank wars around this place, they could be dangerous and she was tying her best to stay away from things like that. Kitty occasionally extended an invite to do things, but it was often second thoughts and if she did go she felt like a third wheel. She'd once gone on a hike with Rahne and Roberto but that third wheel feeling had kicked in even stronger.

"I mean Tabitha's taken on a mall crawl before but that was never my scene. I hang around here because either I talk to a few friendly X-men and chat with or hang around an empty Victorian all day and wait for Magneto to be free to talk. The most annoying thing though is Wanda and Pietro. I mean at first I was super excited because I have these two older siblings that I was going to get a chance to know. I mean when I first met them before we found out our relation, Pietro was funny and Wanda was.. not overly friendly but nice. Now they remind me of Zala…. She's in that 'I don't know you, freak' stage and she would either shoot me dirty looks or ignore me all together," Lorna had begun pacing now as she told her tales of woe, "I don't know… I just feel like they resent me because I'm here… like me talking to Mag… well our father, is blasphemy. I mean I know he's told me he wasn't the greatest father to them and he used to be a bit of a tyrant… maybe that's why… There a little jealous I guess… But that is not my fault!"

X23 smirked to herself, she knew those feelings all too well, on both sides sadly. Her whole life actually, just like when she had been a little girl. She'd been jealous and angry at others who seemed to have all the things she wanted. It had continued throughout her adventures and even here at the mansion, especially at first. She'd been jealous even more because of how close Logan was with everyone here. But that had changed a little, with all the time Logan tried to put aside just for her; late night talks, working on the bike, teaching her everyday things. Then she'd noticed the occasional eye rolls from others, even Kitty a couple of times when she'd wanted to talk to Logan but he had been too busy talking to X23. There was also the one time he'd let her ride his motorcycle, it wasn't far, but she'd gotten a few dirty looks considering Logan apparently never let anyone even touch his bike.

"I'm sorry to vent, I just hate feeling like… like," Lorna was struggling for an analogy.

"An Untuned key," said X23 as she hit that key again.

"What?" asked Lorna as she walked over to the piano.

"Like that one key on a piano that's not in tune with the others," said X23, "I get what you're saying, it's not all sunshine here either. Either people invite me as an afterthought, avoid me, or shoot me looks. I have Logan, for the most part. He tries to make me like I fit in, but I don't, I was trained for missions and weaponry and when people are all, 'Let's go to the mall..' It's nothing I know and when I go I feel like I'm this weirdo standing in the background all the time. I even made a list of things to try so I can fit in or at least be normal."

"You made a list?" asked Lorna as she sat on the bench next to her as X23 pulled out a piece of poorly scratched paper, "Oh?"

"I doubt they will, but I'd like to feel they do," said X23 pushing a few chords on the piano again, she looked at the book over on the chair, "I like murder mysteries. Jubilee got me into them, Christie's really good."

"Do you?" asked Lorna looking up from the list with a smile, "The only one at the Brotherhood house who doesn't read anything other than War and Peace and manuals that end up nearly leveling Bayville, is Wanda… and you know how that goes."

"They read around here but Rogue's the only one into the murder mysteries and well… we're not exactly kosher… is the word?" asked X23, she heard Lorna chuckle.

"I get it," said Lorna, "Well we can talk about books… and I know how to play piano."

"Do you?" asked X23, Lorna made a few plays.

"My mother made me take lessons, it's the only 'honest' instrument I play," smirked Lorna, "Little does she know nearly all the other instruments I play, I cheat."

"You cheat?" asked X23, "How?"

"If I pick up a violin, nothing good can come of it…. But if I use my powers… I just have to… visualize it and with some small practice, it'll play just fine," said Lorna, she waved her hand and the piano played a small tune.

"I don't consider that cheating, I consider it being versatile," said X23 with a shrug.

"I don't think my Mom would see it like that," said Lorna, she was quite for a moment, "Hey, I could teach you!"

"Really?" asked X23, she was going to ask Ororo, "I would like that, very much."

"Good, then maybe we could… I don't know read some books together?" suggested Lorna, she looked at the list, "Or both learn to bake…. I think if I get enough pull I could win over Fred."

"I was going to ask Kitty," shrugged X23, she always saw her in the kitchen.

"I don't know… maybe… oh maybe both," said Lorna, "I don't know what Kitty makes but, Fred makes these awesome cakes and he once made fantastic sushi."

"She makes muffins…. Lots of muffins, I don't know why," shrugged X23, "I haven't eaten them yet, they always seem to be gone super-fast, Logan says Summer's is responsible for that during training sessions."

"Training can make you hungry," shrugged Lorna, "Did you want to hang out today?"

"Aren't we?" asked X23 looking around.

"Let's go to the park… or the beach…. I mean surfing is not happening today… it's gonna rain later today… but maybe I could teach you that some time," said Lorna, "Do you like outdoors stuff?"

"I prefer it," said X23, she had an interesting thought; "Did you want to go to the mall?"

"I thought you didn't like the mall?" asked Lorna with a raised brow.

"Maybe I won't mind it so much if there's someone suffering with me," said X23, "Just promise me you won't run flirting off with that guy at the pretzel stand."

"Oh, no need to worry about," said Lorna with a chuckle as they got up, "Your right, it might be a nice change without Tabitha flirting with that guy or the perfume girl. Grant it, Shelby is pretty, but it makes for an awkward third wheel."

"Go with the girl's here. It ends in arguments, breakups, relentless flirting, and the entire time you've been in the food court," said X23 as they headed down the hall.

"Laura," X23 heard it the second time and turned around to see Logan down the hall.

"I'll be right back," said X23, she headed over to Logan, she still wasn't used to her name.

"Going out?" asked Logan, "I thought you wanted me to ask 'Ro to teach you piano."

"Yeah, Lorna and I are going to the mall," said X23 with a shrug at his raised brow, "And don't worry about that….."

"Okay, well do you have any money?" asked Logan as he looked towards where Lorna was probably waiting.

"We're just going to hang out and make plans to do other stuff," said X23, "Maybe set off metal detectors and make people panic when they see we don't have anything."

"Well I'm pretty sure with both of you… we're getting a lot of calls," said Logan, he smirked and pulled out his wallet, X23 shook her head.

"I'm okay," said X23, "I don't need… I'm fine."

"Hey, this isn't for you, it's for me," said Logan sternly, but he smiled, "I only ever spend money on some clothes here and there and the bike…. And I'd… much rather you spent it."

"Oh," said X23 as he went to hand her a card and then gave her cash, "Uh, thanks… I'll pay it back eventually."

"I'd give you the card but from what I've learned with people with magnetism, they tend to get erased," said Logan, he smiled and griped her shoulder, "I don't want the money back. Go have fun and buy things you want."

"Okay, thanks Logan," smiled X23 as she put the money in her pocket, "See you at dinner."

"Have fun kid," said Logan as he continued down the hall.

"Your names Laura?" asked Lorna as X23 came back over to her, "God I feel so rude."

"Don't, not many people do know my name, heck I didn't even know it until a few years ago," said X23 as they headed down the stairs and out the door.

Logan watched X23 head off and smiled as he looked out the window. He'd gladly give her all the money in the world if it could make her smile. He knew that wasn't the case and that he'd never be able to erase her past but he could always hope for a far better future for her. He heard sense Ororo walking towards him coming out of the library.

"Oh, Logan, there you are. I couldn't find Laura in the library, but I must call and get the piano tuned first," said Ororo, "What are you looking at?"

"Laura's going to the mall," said Logan, "Typical teenage things."

"Ah, I see," smiled Ororo, "Glad to hear, her own free will?"

"For once," smiled Logan as he felt Ororo's hand lace with his, "I support the typical teenage things… except for hijacking my motorcycle."

"Ah, but Logan… that's what happens when you're a parent of a teenager," smiled Ororo.

"Yeah, I know," sighed Logan as he heard the sound of his bike turn the corner, "I'll ground her next time."

* * *

 **THE END**


End file.
